The Untitled Story of A Killjoy
by The Fit Cosplay Chick
Summary: The story begins prior to the death of the Killjoys and will ultimately work through those events and what comes e story is set in 1st person (O/C), and based off of My Chemical Romance album, Danger Days. There will be Romance, Death, Rebirth and Betrayal, mixed together to give you a great story.
1. The Nightclub

**I'm sorry it took so long to get this posted, I have been extremely busy. Hope you enjoy the first chapter of the story. Any feedback would be appreciated! I love hearing what you have to say. Don't forget to follow/favorite**

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_The Night Club _

The Seven 100's night club, a place where you would go to forget about yourself and get lost in the bright lights and blasting music. In some, more irresponsible instances, you can get lost in someone else. Someone you didn't even know, a stranger. You see, being in the position I was in, it was difficult for me to forget and get lost. But this place, man, it was like nirvana to us. Us meaning the kids of the Battery City lost and hopelessly seeking approval from those who ranked above us. Not all kids came to this place, most would get caught by their parents or the Dracs who patrolled the outer ranks of the city. But if you got in that place, you wouldn't want to leave. It was a melting pot, a witches brew of Killjoys and Sluggers, mixing for one night a week to conspire over lustful dreams and hardened contracts.

It was at the Seven 100's club where I found myself every Saturday night, and sometimes even into the early light of the holy morning. This was not as much a problem for me as it would have been for a regular slugger. My father, one of the head researchers in the city, usually stayed at work on the weekends, and my mother, well, let's just say we had a falling out a few years ago when some less than favorable events took place. I am sure she had her reasons, in fact, I now know her reasons. But nevertheless, this is why I was allowed out without consequence and was constantly on the lookout for a new place to explore before the week and its work began.

That night though, on August 29th something changed. I felt it as soon as I got a call from the city's capital building. It was unusual for them to call the house, let alone when my father was not at home and so I refused to answer. I was never a fan of the City, and to this day disagree with everything they stand for. And so, on my 26th birthday, I set out for the outer zones, to join the killjoys in the resistance against the corruption. You may wonder what I was doing, staying with my father at the age of 26, but the fact was, that I was worried about him. After the passing of my mother, things began to change. He worked more, talked less, and seemed agitated as if something was bothering him. And so I stayed, working as his assistant and learning as much as I could from him.

Although the decision to leave was not easy, it was mandatory. About a week before on the 15th, I got a call from the capital, demanding that I put my father on the phone as if he was not present at his workstation. And only a day later I found threats in our mail, warning of the consequences of betrayal and conspiracy. At that point it was clear, and when I confronted my father, Victor Knox about this, he told me one thing, and that was to get out of the city as soon as I could. So, with nowhere to go, I packed up what I could of my life and headed to the Seven 100s Club.

Everything seemed eerily quiet that night. The roads were bare, the only car in sight was my father's Acura NSX. It was his idea to take his car instead of my own, he believed that this would be less suspicious than my own black Trans Am. In all truth, his car sickened me, bringing memories of past experiences and testing that I would rather forget. All the times I was forcefully ripped out of my room and dragged into the lab, and even worse, the first time I met the headmistress herself, yeah all that replayed every time I rode along in that damn thing or any white car for that matter. I suppose that's why I longed for my future to be paved in black, for it was the only solace I had then, the solace within a rebellion, how heroic of me.

I began to tap my fingers along the leather steering wheel, already irritated with the loud music of the club. "Pointless," I said "fucking pointless", sitting in that car was not going to do me any good. But then again, the longer I sat there, the more infatuated I became with the questions that surrounded me. Why was I being asked to leave the city? Why in the past months have the tests become more frequent? And why the fuck did I look as bad as I did? I pulled at my skin and dragged it this way and that. I was frustrated, frustrated with myself, with my life, I'm honestly surprised I hadn't done more than just the pills, but maybe that's why I looked so bad.

It seemed that only a week ago everything was normal. No reprogramming, no wanted pilots, no Dracs. But all of that changed, I had changed. I could see it in the roughness and lines in my face. I smoothed my hands over the developing wrinkles and began to feel, for the first time that I was aging. But with my developing age, there was an unfamiliar look of innocents that resembled not my father nor my deceased mother. Who was I exactly? Even that seemed a mystery to me. As I toyed with the idea I moved my gaze back towards the night club, my eyes catching the glimmer of light from my B.L.I illuminated wristwatch. I wanted to take it off and throw it out of the window, but even I had to admit it was beautiful. The bright green, yellow, and red colors telling me that it was time.

Time for what? I didn't know, but in all truth, I was afraid, not for me, but my father. He had gone to great lengths to keep me alive and in the city, and I felt as though to leave him would be an act of treason. I took in a long breath and allowed my chest to rise and fall, with it where the crimson-colored prayer beads I wore around my neck. I looked down at them and pet over the silver cross with my index finger. As my finger moved over smooth charm, I began to question religion and even death. Did death come for us all in the same way? Or, were we to be greeted by our reapers dressed in our fears?

I bit down on my lower lip and looked in the rearview mirror. My makeup looked impeccable like normal, but my eyes were tired and red, worn from tears and filled with a longing emotion. The dark shadows hid my identity from the world, and only I knew what secret hid behind my artificially colored eyes. It was because of them that I was forced to medicate every day, hiding how I looked from the world. It seemed that my strongest facial features where my eyebrows, or so I was told. They were nothing too dramatic but neatly filled in with a promising arch. I was never one for fashion or clothing could be seen as plain, nothing short of sophisticated. But tonight it seemed, I traded in the prude facade for a pair of stockings and torn shorts.

It was at that moment when I allowed myself to become lost, lost in the noise and crowds of the littered nightclub. And then, there I was, inside a familiar place but surrounded by strangers. Blue and red lights streamed above us, dancing among the smoke from the countless cigarettes that burned heavily into the air. It is hard to remember exactly what the DJ was playing, for we all talked and yelled over him. It was often when I would stumble over to the bar and have a drink with one or two people, more often than not Killjoys, identified by the masks they wore over their eyes. I wasn't sure why they wore them, but I was honestly too drunk to care at that point.

At around midnight I was dancing with one of the Killjoys I had a drink with the hour before. He was tall and slightly on the thin side, he wore a red jacket that was opened to reveal a yellow tiger-striped shirt underneath. I couldn't see what his eyes looked like, for they were hidden beneath a red and black mask. But his eyes were not something I cared for; actually, I didn't care what he looked like at all. As I said before, I was too drunk to care. I didn't give a damn about what this man looked like or who he was for that matter, only that we were tangled in a dance that would have certainly looked sexual from across the room.

We didn't kiss, we didn't touch, we just danced close, So close that I could almost feel the sweat coming off him. I didn't know what I wanted from him, but there was a tight feeling in the air that begged us to give in, begging us to make mistakes. I looked up at him, and he down at me. I smiled and eased my hands through my messy brown hair. I turned my back towards the killjoy and pressed up against him, static ran through my body as I felt the heat of him on me. I longed for him to reach out, grab me in some sexual way, and feed whatever hunger pained me until I was satisfied.

We danced closer... moved faster… groped harder...

Then, just as quickly as it began, our dance was over. The music slowly died as the DJ took his final break of the night. All around the people were shouting in disappointment. Those who were overly rambunctious got escorted out of the club along with their partners. The calming of the music seemed to have little effect on the killjoy beside me. He remained close to me, so close that I could feel his arousal against my backside. I spun around and curled my hand over the top of his jacket tugging on it playfully as I attempted to flirt through my drunken daze.

I spoke with a kind of confidence that could only come from the alcohol, but I honestly doubted that he could hear me over the uproar of chatter. And so, I removed my hands from his chest and prepared to escape back to the bar. But just as I began to pull away, I felt a sharp tug pull me back. The Killjoy's hands moved skillfully across my torso as he pulled me back towards him, just as we were before. With my back pressed to his chest, I felt that same tightness as before and when he leaned down to speak it was like fireworks going off in my mind.

"I didn't quite catch that..." he breathed. His voice sweet and hot on the side of my neck. He moved his lips closer towards my ear "say it one more time."

I didn't know what it was at the time, but this would be the first of many tense encounters with this man, and each time my heart would beat faster and louder against my chest. Each breath seemed to take in less and less air until I could barely hide my gasps behind my devious smile. I arched back in response to feeling the Killjoy's warm hands slid under my jacket and slowly crawl farther up my loose tank top. My excitement grew with the intensity of the music, but I just let out a small laugh just as his hands reached the undermost part of my breasts. Placing my hands on his, I led his strong hands back down to his side then turned around to face him.

"I said…" I tugged on his jacket so he would be parallel with me, it was then when I caressed the small patch on his jacket and learned his name. "Kobra Kid," it said. I bit my lip and spoke more rapidly, realizing that I was face to face with one of the most famous killjoys in all of California. "I could use another drink."

I gave him a flirtatious smile and playfully shoved my finger into his chest before cautiously finding my way to the bar. Just the thought of dancing with Kobra made me shake. He was a ladies man and everyone knew it. But if he was there, that meant the others were too and that was never a good sign. Practically falling into the chrome bar top I managed to order myself a shot of Jack before a woman stumbled and spilled half of her drink down my shirt. Why this was funny, I had no idea, but I knew the woman who had done it and I pulled on her shirt, giving me the ability to tussle her short hair like an older sibling would do to a child.

"Shadow, leave it to you to spill your drink on me" it was not a harsh comment, because we both laughed hysterically. She shifted her weight onto me and waved her hand into the air. Being only 4ft 11, her small hands were hard to see as she patted them rhythmical against my face.

"Hey, what does a girl have to do to get another drink?" she laughed, calling over my shoulder to the bartender who brought her another tall drink. She looked up at me, pawing flirtatiously at my face, "you know something Kidd, you are one hot mother fucker." Shadow lifted herself onto her toes, attempting to reach my lips for a kiss. But she was too short for my 5ft 5 frame and ended up smothering the side of my neck with a passionate kiss.

I rolled my eyes, shooting a sarcastic look at Kobra, who stood in front of us with a confused but playful look. I let out a slight chuckle before wedging a space between Shadow and me. She was so intoxicated that the smell of her breath could have knocked you out, but it was something that I had become used to over the past few months. I placed one hand on Shadow's shoulder and handed her her drink with the other. Her brown eyes lit up in excitement as she received the tall glass.

Like most of the people at the club, Shadow was a killjoy. And like the others, she wore a mask that was supposed to cover her eyes and hid her identity. But tonight, the blue and purple mask hung lopsided on the top of her short boy cut hair. It would seem that this was just another indication of how drunk she was. But if you knew Shadow, you knew that's usually how she wore her mask, unless she was in a scrap with some Dracs.

I held her steady until a man appeared next to her and offered to share the burden. He was a couple of inches taller than she was, and not nearly as intoxicated. I blew her a kiss and then took a seat at the crowded bar. Kobra stood beside me with one hand lightly touching my thigh. With my buz wearing off I quickly took back the shot of Jack and instantly ordered another. I looked up at Kobra who was carrying on a conversation with the man accompanying Shadow. His hand slipped off of my leg as he continued to laugh and smile at his fellow killjoy. He was too engaged in the conversation to notice that I twisted my bar stool so my back would face him.

With one arm propped up on the bar and the other fingering my empty shot glass, my mind began drifting to thoughts of Better Living Industries and the stories I have been told about the Fabulous Killjoys. While I had never really listened to them, I knew enough about the group to be cautious of them.

As my thoughts wandered, I found myself staring at the entrance to the club. It was not until I heard the soft voice of the bartender that I looked away front the door. He was a tall, handsomely built man, wearing dark pants a black shirt. He served me my drink and rested his arms on the tabletop, encouraging me to turn and face the bar.

"You okay sweetie?"

I smiled at him and nodded. Like me, the bartender was not a Killjoy but a city slugger, and by the way, he moved around I could tell he was from within the capital city. He was the first slugger I had conversed with all evening, and to be honest, it was nice to see someone...like me.

At that moment I realized something. Sipping on my drink I looked back behind me to see that the majority of the attendees were Killjoys. I sipped my drink and felt a cloud of fear drape over me. I looked to my right to see if Kobra was still standing there, but he was nowhere in sight, neither was the man he spoke with. I let out a sarcastic and frustrated laugh and returned attention towards the entrance of the club. But instead of looking at the entrance door I found myself staring at a stranger at the other end of the bar. He was speaking with the bartender, and when he looked over at me I could see his bright red hair catching the multicolored lights of the dance floor.

My stomach dropped when I saw the color of this man's mask. I knew who he was as soon as I saw it. I looked down at my drink, my hands trembling around it. I kept feeling as though the man was staring at me, or that someone was. I eyed the stranger briefly, He held a lit cigarette in his left hand, while his right lay on the bar, holding a ray gun. I found it odd, he never pressed the cig to his lips, he just left it untouched, burning in his hand.

"_Why are you here?"_

I silently asked. I looked back at my drink and finished the rest of the whiskey with one swig. I lay my money on the bar and made brief eye contact with the handsome bartender before both of our eyes shot to the entrance of the club. There, behind the red-haired stranger, stood two Dracs. Their black hair and pure white faces drawing attention as they moved within the crowds. I shot a glance at the bartender, who simply nodded in approval. He knew we would need to get out of there and quick, for a gunfight was no place for a slugger.

As I slid off the barstool and turned around I was frightened by Kobra, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air. "Jesus!" I exclaimed, "Don't scare me like that!" I playfully punched his arm, caught my exasperated breath.

"I'm sorry," he said briskly " Ghoul and I had to make sure that Shadow didn't start another fight on the dance floor." he laughed a genuine laugh between his words. If it weren't for the current situation, I would have laughed too.

"Yeah" I stammered "I was actually on my way out." Looking over Kobra's shoulder I tried to locate any sign of the Dracs. The music was louder than ever now and the glare of the strobe lights made it nearly impossible to see.

"What's the hurry?" Kobra laughed, apparently unaware that there were two dracs in the nightclub. He leaned in closer, his eyes lighting up underneath his mask.

That same tightness began to fester inside my chest as he drew near. I felt like a child again, and Kobra was my biggest crush. I could feel my cheeks heat up and if it weren't for the dark lighting you would have been able to see the rosy blush that covered them. I smiled awkwardly and took a step closer, torn between him and escape. But this need was too great, and even with the danger being so close, I couldn't help but give in. Clutching Kobra's jacket, I pulled him into a simple, but lust-filled kiss and said my goodbyes.

"I'll see you around Kobra."

Still clutching his jacket I was startled by the heavy footsteps that approached us. I cleared my throat and excused myself, but there was nowhere to go. The two Dracs appeared before us, blocking my way to the exit.

"Excuse me.." I stammered, keeping my head hung low.

But the dracs didn't move. They just looked at one another in silence. I gritted my teeth and attempted to move past them when one of them grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. My first reaction was to grab hold of the man's sleeve and try to get free, throwing a defensive punch at him. This proved to be a big mistake. There were no barriers between me and the Drac, and as looked at him I felt terrified by what was going to happen next.

The first hit was like a wrecking ball, smashing on the side of my face missing the bridge of my nose my sheer luck. But before I could regain my thoughts, I felt another breathtaking pain in my stomach that knocked me back into bartop. I clutched my stomach as people cried in fear. I heard a sharp ringing in my ears as blood dripped from my nose. I felt for something for defense, but all I found where shards of broken glass that pierced into my hands.

Sinking to the floor I held my stomach in pain. I searched the panic-filled room for any sign of Kobra or Shadow but was devastated to find that the two were nowhere in sight. I tried looking towards the end of the bar where the red-headed Killjoy had sat but found the seats deserted. I attempted to crawl towards the exit on my hands and knees, but the Drac was not done with me yet. He grabbed me by my neck and raised me off of the floor. He held me there for a moment or two, just staring at me with his black eyes. I clawed at the Drac's hands as I fought for my breath but slowly felt my life slip out of reach.

"Are you crazy?!" The second Drac yelled, causing my abuser's grip to loosen, "the boss wants her alive." The second Drac reached out and punched his colleague in the arm, making him let go of me completely.

I gasped for my breath and fell to the floor. Touching my neck in agony I could feel slight bruises beginning to form around the thin skin. It was clear to me then, that these Dracs were sent here for me, but why? I looked up from the floor and saw the two Dracs push at each other, arguing. I grunted in pain and reached out, attempting to drag myself across the floor. But when my bloody hand reached out in front of me, I felt dusty heel of a boot. I tilted my chin upward, half expecting to see Korse standing before me, with his woolen coat and frilled shirt. But no, perhaps it was worse. The man who stood before me was the red-haired killjoy who had been sitting across the bar from me.

"Get out" He growled in a defensive voice. With his gun drawn, the killjoy had no intention of leaving the bar just yet. I was not sure if he even knew that I was behind him, and even though I was in pain it was hard for me not to stare at him. This killjoy was tall, not quite as tall as Kobra but built in a similar fashion, broad shoulders and a masculine body. I could tell who this man was by the color of his blue jacket and yellow mask. He was none other than Party Poison, leader of the Fabulous Killjoys.

The Dracs laughed audibly, one of them surpassed the killjoy and grabbed me by the hair, dragging me to my feet.

"Not without this one" The Drac pulled harder on my brown hair nearly tearing some from the roots. I squirmed to get free, but the Drac continued to tighten his grip on me. I looked helplessly around at the nearly empty nightclub. I saw three men appear behind Party. Thankfully, Kobra was one of them. Once Kobra caught sight of me, he tried to push his way passed Party, but was caught by the arm before he could.

"Let go of her!" Kobra's voice was harsh and possessive. The two other men tried to get control of him while Party looked over at him with disgust.

The second Drac laughed bitterly before looking straight at me. "Looks like the little slut has an admirer" He smile took a few steps towards me. "Let's give him something to admire." He looked at his colleague for approval, who in turn chuckled and pulled my head back with a hard tug.

"Don't you fucking touch her.." Party hissed, stepping closer to me and the Dracs. Gun still drew, I wished that he would just use it and put me out of my misery

"Oh.." The second Drac laughed as he moved his hands over my torso and firm breasts, "I am going to do more than just that" He breathed heavily from under his mask, dragging his ching hands all over my broken body.

I could see the anger build in all of the Killjoy's faces. The dark aura around them burned as bright as the sun with hate. I suddenly felt a strange heat rise within me, taking over my body and my mind. I didn't know what it was, or what was happening but all I knew was that it gave me the strength to fight. I looked once more at Kobra, and then at Party, before making my move. With the confidence of adrenaline, I elbowed the one Drac in the stomach, causing him to release me from his grip. I pushed him into his partner and immediately started running toward the doors of the club.

I heard a call from behind me, but the adrenaline kept pushing me forward, not allowing me to look back. I lunged forward, diving behind one of the only cars still parked in the lot. My fingers began to tingle with some sort of reaction as I slunk around the front of the car. I peered over the hood, watching as the two Dracs limped out of the night club with the Killjoys in hot pursuit. My sigh caught in the back of my throat when I saw the Dracs running in my direction. I grabbed at the beads around my neck and prayed as I pushed off the old car and sprinted towards my father's white Acura.

Escape seemed so close, I was just feet from the car. I stretched out my hand to grab the door handle, relief washing over me as I pulled on it. But that relief was very short-lived, for in the reflection of the window I saw the bruised and bloody face of a man who I could have sworn I knew. My heart beat louder as I turned and saw the blood-stained mask in his hands. I opened my mouth to scream but nothing but a soft whimper came out. I gasped, sucking in the night air in short pants. My knees grew weak and I stumbled into the man's large frame.

"Sweet dreams sugar" I heard him say as he pulled a thin needle out of my neck. I saw two more Dracs swarm around me with guns pointed. I blinked sleepily, trying to recognize the man's face as he threw me over his shoulder.

Draped over the Drac's back I looked up to see The Killjoys emerge in a hazy fog. I mumbled something, trying desperately to speak. One after the other, the two Dracs fell, and it was not long before I felt as though I have drifting down towards the ground, only to be caught by Kobra. He knelt down and held my limp body in his arms. I felt someone else's hands begin turning my face his way and that to assess the damage. But by the time I realized who it was, it was too late, I tasted the rusty blood in my mouth as it leaked from my lips, and felt my eyes tired and slowly roll back into my head...

What happened after that I would never have known until they told me. According to G, after I passed out it was Kobra who insisted on taking me back to the hideout. I could almost hear the two of them arguing over it. I knew that G wanted nothing to do with me when we first met, but over the years, I guess you could say that I grew on him and He on me. The last thing I had remembered about that night was being shoved into the back of my father's car while the driver fought to make sense of the advanced tech that littered the inside of the vehicle. Before I knew it, I was asleep

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	2. The Morning After

_The Morning After _

The early morning sun was warm and welcoming on my aching skin. Every inch of my body was hurting. I could feel the dry blood crack over the nose and lips. I could feel a lingering throb from the bruises that bulged around my neck. My movement started with a twitch in my fingers, and then escalated into my hands. My arms were stretched out across a table, my left tucked in like a pillow under my head. I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, blinking them rapidly from the exposure to light.I lifted my pounding head and twitched my nose in response to the musty smell that mixed in the air.

I shuffled my feet across the floor beneath me, my black combat boots feeling heavy on my sore feet. I retreated my knees to my chest, pressing them against to dining table. My black, fishnet stockings have been ripped up my thigh and a good portion of my knee had been cut. Brown and red stains littered the front of my blue jean shorts in large drops, presumably from my bloody nose. I leaned back into the padded booth and smelt another odor surround me. It smelt like a mix of gasoline and sweat. It wasn't until I looked down at my watch that I saw the cuff of the red jacket and realized who I was with.

I raised my shaking hands to my face, feeling the stickiness of my smudged black makeup around my eyes. I followed the trail that some of the tears had left behind and stopped at the bulging skin around my nose. I eased my trembling hand over to the left side of my face, following the severity of the pain like a map. I stopped when I reached yet another bruise that seemed connected to the first. I could feel the tears building up as the memories of the night flashed before me. I sniffed the air once more to attempt to clear my sinuses, only making my head pound harder than before.

I rested my back against the glass window and gazed into my swollen eyes. It had been close to twenty four hours since I had taken my medication and its effects started to wear off. I stared at the icy blue hue that peeked behind the iris of my right eye. As long as I could remember, I had been told to hide my true self, to hide what I really looked like underneath all the masks and medications. I began to wonder if the Dracs had targeted me, and if so, why? What had I done to deserve what had been done? I shuddered, realizing that they could, and would have done much worse.

A moment passed before I heard a crisp voice echo behind me. I looked back at my reflection and there beside it was the reflection of a Killjoy.

"Good, you're awake." he said aggressively, jumping off the stool. He took a few steps forward and crossed his arms.

I glared at him in silence, waiting for him to say something else. I could feel his eyes searching me, assessing me. I focused on him, trying to learn more about him from the way he moved. But there was simply nothing to learn from his heroic appearance other than that he did not like what he was seeing.

Till this day I still adore him for that. But then again, some things never changed from that day, especially the way he hid his emotions. But even he had its weak moments where you could see exactly what he was thinking. I remember more clearly now, the way he looked then. He stood prominently in front of the dinner's entrance as if guarding it against the evils of the outside. His shaggy red hair fell just below where his eyes would have been if not for his yellow mask.

"You're not trying to kill me are you?" I placed both my legs underneath the table, cringing at the pain that was revived in them. "I promise I won't but up much of a fight." I faked a small laugh and unwillingly tried to stand. As I lifted myself from the booth I heard a slight charm of a bell. Three more men entered the dinner, the last one holding the hand of a young girl.

Party laughed at me, as though I was some small, ignorant teenager. I knew that he could tell I was still hazy from the drugs and therefore he held back the urge to make foolish remarks. He looked over his shoulder at the men who stood behind him and shook his head.

"God you sluggers are incompetent." He began to walk towards me in an urgent type manner as if he knew I that my legs were about to give out. He held my shoulders and began to take a closer look at what the Dracs had done.

I felt an overbearing sense of shame come over me. Sweeping through my body like the constant glares of the men before me. I tried to pull away, reaching for the top of the booth for help. The shame of my pain grew as I fought to stand on my own, but failed miserably, falling helplessly into Party's arms.

My hands rested on a worn, black shirt that sat underneath Party's blue jacket, his strong heart beating rapidly beneath my fingertips. I looked up at him and saw a glimpse of his hazel eyes, which looked eerily familiar. He lifted his hand and I instantly drew back out of fear. Although I had resisted, Party gently held the tip of my chin and moved my face from left to right. I let out a small whimper which made him stop. The killjoy sighed and released me, but before I could move away he took hold of my forearm arm. He twisted it so my palm would face the ceiling, partially exposing the numbers that where branded onto my skin.

"08291917" He mouthed. Her looked up at me with a cold stare that made me shiver and pull away, retreating my arm to my chest.

"For Christ's sake Party." I recognized this man's voice, it was Kobra Kid. "Leave her alone." He pushed past his fellow killjoy and offered to help me back into the booth. I kept my head down, not wanting to look at him nor at Party. The pain in my head had re-kindled in a continuous throb, boiling to my ears and creating sour bile in my throat.

Party looked down in disgust at what he saw. He sneered at Kobra, laughing uncontrollably as he peered over at his other followers for approval. But nothing on their cold faces pleaded with his idea of fun. It was in fact, the small girl's expression that I believed mocked him the most. I looked up just in time to see it. Her brown eyes glossy and filled with sickness. She dropped the hand of one of the men and slowly walked past Party and stood beside Kobra, just looking at me.

She didn't say anything, only stared. The only movement she created was the petting of her hand against my cheek and a slight turn over her shoulder to make contact with Party. I felt Kobra's hand squeeze my shoulder as a sympathetic gesture. I did not know what to feel at that point. The pain from my injuries and the emotions I was encountering were too much for me to handle. On top of it all, I was unintentionally tearing a family apart, without even saying a word.

"That's just great," Party sarcastically scoffed as he shot off towards the door. He stretched his hands over his head and curled his nails sharply on his head, angrily gritting through his teeth. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but held back for the sake of the young girl who took a seat beside me.

We sat there in silence for a good five minutes. The six of us, each one looking towards something different, contemplating what to do and what to say. I took in a hard breath and looked down again at the young girl. She had curly brown hair and big brown eyes. Her small hands moved from the side of my aching face to the beads around my neck, curious as to what they were.

"Come on man, we can't just kick her out, we did bring her here" the short, black-haired man walked towards his leader, stretching his arm to place his hand on the taller man's shoulder. "And besides…" he lowered his voice to a whisper, " it may just be what Grace needs, having another woman around." The shorter man smiled, patting Party on the arm as boys would do, and then looked over at Kobra and nodded his head.

"Alright." Party breathed, "but just until she is well enough to drive back to the city." He turned around and stood prominently next to the shorter man, " We can't risk drawing more attention to ourselves." Easing his crossed arms down by his side, He began to move closer. He reached his hand out towards me, but I knew not to accept it. For it really was not for me, but the little girl next to me.

The small girl looked at Party, then back at me before scooting off the padded seat into Party's arms. Watching them made me smile a genuine smile. But that heartwarming moment was not enough to ease my pain.I gritted my teeth and pushed my messy hair to the side, exposing the full extent of my injuries to everyone. My breath became long exhausted gasps, as I lightly traced the injection sight on my neck.

The young girl clung to Party's leg, and Party pulled her into him as if to shield her from the sight of me. At the time, I didn't know the extent of the bruising that occurred around the injection site. But judging by the reactions of these grown men, I knew it had to be bad. My constant shifting and moving had pushed Kobra's jacket off of my shoulders, exposing more cuts bruises that littered my tattooed skin.

"Holy Shit!" the shorter killjoy covered his mouth to hide his shock "Those fuckers got what they deserved." He said in an aggravated tone.

My eyes shot up in horror and I felt sicker than I had before. I tried to remember the face of the Drac who drugged me, and as I thought harder about him, it became clear that I knew him from somewhere, but I couldn't remember where. I look off towards the short killjoy and realized that he was the one who accompanied Shadow the night before.

His name was Fun Ghoul, He had long black hair and wore an army green vest over a yellow, quarter sleeve shirt. He stood 5ft 6in, much shorter than any of the other killjoys in his group. It made sense now, why Shadow adored him. He was very handsome, with an innocent smile. He walked over to the booth and slid into the seat across from me. He smiled, stretching out his tattooed hands, placing them gently around mine.

"Those Dracs can't harm you here," he said softly, his hazel eyes looking sympathetically at me.

I took a deep breath "Did you kill him?". I looked around the room at the four men with intense eyes. I heard a sigh come from Kobra as he slid into the seat next to me. Party joined Ghoul at the other side of the table, the young girl sitting beside him. The fourth killjoy, Jet Star, leaned against the booth, hovering over the young girl.

Finally, after a long and drawn-out silence Party took authority and spoke up, "What else were we supposed to do? He looked at Kobra, then back at me. "They don't have pity and would have done the same to you." He brushed his red hair back with a sigh and pushed the yellow mask back, exposing his hazel eyes.

I felt a small tear fell from my left eye, and when wiped it way I had to bite back the pain from the bruise that surrounded it. I tried to sniff back the mucus in my nose, trying hard not to get too emotional over their decision. But it was hard, I hated the idea of killing even though I knew it was necessary.

Ghoul reached into the small napkin holder and pulled out a small cloth. "Did you know him?" he asked in a small voice, handing me the napkin.

I wiped my nose it the least disgusting way possible and took a deep breath, "yeah," I muttered, "I knew all of them before they were forced into those masks." My lower lip quivered as I began to remember what it was like the first time I saw what the masks could do.

I wiped my nose once more, then looked down at my trembling hands. Looking at them, I understood the horrifying truth of what actually went on behind the capitol walls. I turned my hand over and gently pet over the scarred skin, tracing each number with the tip of my thumb.

"What do those numbers mean?" My eyes shot up to meet Party's intense glare. I stretched my arm out as if to show others what he was inquiring about. I looked off towards the window, hiding the tears that began to build up in my eyes.

"When the city started going to shit, the council rounded us up in groups and…." I paused, needing to wipe the tears and excess snot off my face. I took a breath to control my emotions, then turned towards the men. " They used a laser scanner to mark each of us, inventory control they said." I pulled my arm back to my chest and let out a deep sigh. "Guess they didn't want to lose track of their test subjects" I mumbled.

You could have heard a pin drop, that's how quiet it was. The men had their heads hung low, either out of grief or out of disgust. I hated telling that story, because I really didn't know the reason behind the laser scanning, and I hated it when people felt sorry for me. I ran my hands through my hair and wiped away the final tear from my face.

Ghoul was the first to pick his head up, he motioned to the side in a nudge. "Come on, let's give her some space" his childish smile gave me some comfort, and I could tell that he genuinely cared about me, even though I was a complete stranger.

I reach out and touched his hand "Thank you.." I mouthed, grateful for his hospitality.

Ghoul returned a smile and began nudging Party and the young girl out of the booth. The three of them walked out of the dinner, Jet Star following close behind. The only one left was Kobra, who remained by my side even though I began to breakdown in tears of pain. I felt so lost, more lost than I had before I went to the club the night before. I was confused, angry, sad, worrisome, every negative emotion you could feel, I felt at that moment.

"Hey.." Kobra whispered, pulling into a sympathetic side hug, "It's going to be okay."

I turned toward him, using the worn-out napkin to clean my nose of the blood and mucus that dripped out of it. "You must think I'm such an idiot" I chuckled, realizing how stupid I must have looked to such a bad-ass killjoy.

Kobra smiled and pushed some hair back from my face, furring his brow as he took a closer look at the large bruises around my nose. " I mean, for someone who just got the shit beat out of them, gotten drugged, and then brought to some random place surrounded by men you've never met before, I say you're doing alright." We both laughed because we both knew it was true.

"Let me get you something to clean yourself up with, You don't exactly look like a supermodel." He poked playfully as he eased out of the booth, dragging his red jacket along with him.

I looked back at my reflection, facing the fact that I looked like absolute shit. I wiped my nose once more, cleaning off the rest of the dried blood from around my nostrils. I used those moments alone to think about everything that had happened, and what might happen next. I thought about why the Dracs came after me, was it somehow connected to my father? Maybe that's why he wanted me out of the city so badly. I tried to think about things that were said and things that I had heard but none of it made any sense and just made my headache worse.

I pressed my head against the dinner window, hoping that the cool glass would bring some relief to my throbbing head. I heard muffled voices coming from outside. I pressed my ear to the glass and listened to the distorted argument taking place. It was between Kobra and Party, from what I heard, it was about the events of the previous night.

"You really know how to pick them, don't you?" Party paced back and forth in front of the old, tanish-colored Trans Am that was parked next to my father's car. "First it was that droid girl from the slums, and now this?" he stopped running one hand through his hair. He looked over towards where I was sitting and I quickly ducked down.

"Look, how was I supposed to know this was going to happen?" Kobra appeared to be looking into the white Acura, his red jacket slung over his shoulder. I couldn't tell in the club but seeing him in the light made his blond, slicked-back hair more noticeable. It was shorter on the sides, bearing a brunette contrast to the longer lengths on the top. He brushed the stray strands back into place and opened the passenger side door of the car.

Party looked back over his shoulder at Kobra, then rushed towards him. " This isn't a fucking game Kobra!" He slammed the door and pinned Kobra against the car. While Kobra was a few inches taller he was, it didn't seem to matter to the fiery redhead. His words spit like poison and just watching the two of them made me nauseous. A feeling that deepened when I saw the young girl watching them with wide eyes.

"Come on Party, there is nothing we can do about it now." Fun Ghoul eased, his soft voice almost completely drowned out by the glass. He tried to ease the tension by placing a firm hand on Party's arm. But little did he know that that it would only make matters worse. But while Party refused to acknowledge him, Ghoul was persistent in ending the violence. " Come on…" he said, tugging on Party's arm.

"Stay out of this!" Party snapped, turning his head to address his friend, who jumped back with his hands raised in defeat. "You are no fucking better than he is!" I could have sworn that I saw a darkness in his eyes he grabbed Kobra by the fabric of his shirt and slammed him against the car.

I tore away from the window and looked down at my shaking hands. I had to do something, If not for Kobra, than for that little girl who fought to hide from the noise. It sickened me to think that they would put her through that. I slowly slid out of the booth as the argument outside continued. With a slight limp in my step, I made my way over to the dinner doors, holding on to the various booths for support as I walked.

When I stepped out I took in the warm rays of sun like they were a gift from God. I lifted my hand above my face for shade and cautiously stepped closer to where Jet Star and the little girl where standing. The dry earth swirled around my boots creating a cloud of dust that caught the girl's attention. I looked at her with a smile, happy to take her mind off the fight that commenced only feet away.

I looked on and saw Fun Ghoul trot over to Jet Star with the look of defeat on his face. "It's no use man, I think he's hit his breaking point," he said with a sigh. He looked over his shoulder as a breeze caught hold of his raven hair.

"Did I do this?" Taking a step forward I made my presence known. I wrapped my right arm around my waist in pain and looked on at the two men, wondering what they were saying. I felt a cold breeze force through my body and shivered in response.

"Unfortunately this has been building up for months." It was the first time I heard Jet Star speak. He had a higher, more innocent voice than the others, making me wonder how old he was compared to his colleagues.

Our attention was forced back towards the white car. The young girl hid behind Jet Star as if she knew things were about to get worse.

"You sound just like them!" Kobra kept his voice firm, challenging every inch of his Party's mental stability, "you pounce on them just because they are from the city, you don't care who they are or what they've been through, Just like a fucking Drac!" I believed he meant those words. At least the part about sounding like a slugger. But comparing him to a Drac? Did Party deserve that simile? Perhaps that was too far.

My heart wrenched and I felt sick again. I looked over at Star and Ghoul, who remained paralyzed by what they were witnessing. My eyes shifted down to the girl, who's eyes filled with silent tears. I felt as if she was in danger, in danger of losing her childlike innocence like so many I had known. I swallowed hard and broke the silence. "You need to take her inside, She doesn't need to see this." They both looked at the young girl and together sighed heavily. Jet Star took hold of her small hand and led her back into the diner, giving me a small nod on the way.

It was not before long after I sent Jet Star and the little girl inside that it became clear that Party Poison had snapped. "Everything I do is to protect us!" Grabbing Kobra by the collar he gave him a harsh shake. He deepened his voice into a low growl, "If you want to waste your time on arrogant, useless sluggers that's fine, but keep me and the boys out of it!" Party threw his brother against the car door with a final shove before storming off towards the desert.

I looked down at my dust-covered boots, taking in the insult. Party was wrong, we were not all useless and arrogant. I felt a familiar brush of anger boil inside me. I dropped my arm from around my waist and held my hand in a tight fist, cracking the knuckles of each finger in fits of compulsion. I clenched my jaw shut, resisting the urge to act out in rage.

As if sensing my anger, Ghoul looked over his shoulder and was quick to take my hand, sending shocks through my body. "Don't take it personally, He's just trying to protect her." He turned towards the diner and found the young girl sitting in a booth, watching a wall-mounted television. "He really is a good man," he stated, moving his gaze down to his black boots. "He's just been through hell." He gave my hand a quick squeeze, then walked off in the direction that Party had, leaving me alone with only Kobra nearby.

I shook my head, attempting to wash away the thoughts of rage. I looked off towards the cars, relieved to see that Kobra was okay. He lit a cigarette and ran his hands through his blond and brown hair. He leaned against the white Acura, taking multiple hits off the cig. Kobra's defeated eyes glared at the horizon. Only he knew what he was thinking about, but I could have guessed he was thinking about what Party had said.

I sighed and began walking over to the killjoy, careful not to startle him. Within a few steps, I was forced to return my arm around my waist for comfort. "Hey…" I said softly, "you okay?" I reached out and caressed the side of his arm.

"Yeah" he breathed, taking another hit from the cigarette. "I'll be alright." He threw the rest of the cig into the sand, "Sorry, I got a little sidetracked" He crossed his arms and looked off towards the desert.

I shrugged, and let out a small laugh, "I won't hold it against you." I took a step forward and reach for the car door. The white handle seemed harder to open than it had before, or maybe I was just weaker. I grunted in frustration, catching Kobra's attention. He uncrossed his arms and reached for the door handle, overlapping his hand with mine as he pulled the door open.

"You feeling any better?" He asked peering inside the car while I struggled to climb in. I saw him look around from the driver's side mirror like he was curious as to what I kept inside.

"Nothing a hot shower, and some ibuprofen can't fix," I called, rummaging around the back seat. The car wasn't messy, and with very little packed in the back seat, it didn't take long for me to find what I was looking for.

Crawling out of the car I grabbed my phone that had been laying in the center console. It's smooth, black screen illuminated, revealing an influx of messages and missed calls. Before exiting the vehicle I unlocked the trunk, hearing it open with a low 'thump'.

"Nothing ceases to amaze me about the technology you sluggers have on hand." I eased out of the car with my phone and a black duffel bag in hand. I found Kobra looking into the trunk with wide eyes. I raised a brow at him, confused by what he was saying.

I put my phone in my back pocket and rounded the car. I looked into the opened trunk, finding the cooler I had put in there the day before. Icey fog poured out from the case, reflecting off the blue lights that lined the inside of the trunk. I reached out and pressed down on a small control panel, adjusting the inside temperature of the car. "This car is used for transporting medicine and other experimental drugs to different labs within the city." I pushed the top of the cooler and retrieved two syringes from it. "It also makes one hell of a refrigerator." I smiled. I tossed one of the syringes in the black bag, and slipped the other into my pocket next to my phone.

"You are something else kid." Kobra chuckled as he closed the trunk of the car. Together we walked back to the diner, turning our backs on the hot midday sun. As we got to the front door I felt my phone vibrate from my back pocket. Kobra opened the door for me but I hesitated to go in.

"You good?" He asked, with a concerned tone in his voice.

"Yeah," I said, pulling the device out of my pocket. I handed him my duffel bag and looked at the phone screen, the name 'Belan' stretched across the screen. "You go ahead, I'll just be a minute." I gave Kobra a fake smile and turned my back, answering the call.

* * *

**~Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, Stay tuned for more and D****on't forget to follow/favorite and review! **


	3. A Phone Call

_A Phone Call _

"Hello?" I said with a shaky voice.

"Oh my god, how long does it take for you to answer the fucking phone? I've been calling for hours!" The male voice on the other line barked.

I gritted my teeth, already annoyed with the conversation. "I've been a little tied up Lex, it was a crazy night last night" I rubbed my neck, forgetting about the bruises and shocking myself with the pain.

"So I have heard… Are you okay? Where are you now? Not naked in some guys bed I hope. Come to think of it, I would prefer that over you being…" Finally, I had to cut him off.

"Alexey, I'm fine, and no, I didn't sleep with anyone." I looked around and saw both Party and Ghoul walking towards me. I lowered my voice to a whisper, worried they would hear me, "I'm with the killjoys, like the killjoys" I stayed silent as the two men walked past me and entered the diner. I tried my best not to look at Party as he walked by, but I couldn't help myself. He glanced at me as he brushed past, holding my eyes with an intense gaze.

"You there? Did they hurt you? Those fuckers! I'll come to kick their asses right now and…" He was beginning to rant again. I shook my head, washing away Party's eyes from my mind.

"No, no, no, I'm fine, I'm just..." I paused, catching a glimpse of the news that played on the TV inside, "I'm just so confused, why did the Dracs target me like that?" I moved closer to the glass door, trying to get a better view of the TV screen.

"I'm trying to figure that one out myself, but I keep coming up with the same thing." I could hear Alexey typing in the background. "Also, just as a heads up, I'm disabling the tracking on your phone and car so nobody can trace you, the last thing you need is to be tracked by some half-asses hackers."

My chest felt heavy, making me gasp for air, "What do you mean track me? What the hell did I do wrong Lex? " I yelled, getting the attention of nearly everyone in the diner I held back the tears, but that knot in my chest that made it difficult to breathe. I turned away from the glass just as I saw my picture appear on the screen.

"Hey, hey, calm down" he tried to soothe, "we're going to figure this out, I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding." The typing got faster on the other end of the line and made me feel queasy.

I kicked the dirt around me, frustrated, angry and scared with what I was hearing. "What is just a misunderstanding?" I asked

The other end of the line was silent.

"You don't know, do you?" He paused, sighing heavily into the phone, "Find somewhere to watch the news, then call me back as soon as you can" Alexey softened his voice, "call me back soon kid." he said before hanging up the phone.

My hand slowly dropped to my side. I couldn't help but stare at the TV screen as I walked into the diner. Unable to break eye contact with the television, I escorted myself over to the booth where the four men and the young girl were seated but did not sit down. My photo flashed back up on the screen. My knees became weak, making it hard to stand. I reached for the top of the booth for support and looked at the faces of the men whose eyes darted from the tv screen to me and then back to the TV.

The photo looked nothing like me, and somehow it was. It showed me with my dark brown hair tied up in a neat bun, with side-swept bangs framing my defined face. My eyes were brown, dressed with thick black eyeliner that came to a wing at the outer corners. My lips were left bare, their plumpness speaking for themselves. This was the customary look for the city's workers, neat and organized with no hint of emotion. My attire was equally plane. In the photo, the only thing visible was my white-colored blouse. But I knew that below it was a black, knee-length skirt and matching black heels. I remember the day this photo was taken. It was the day after all the testing had been done, rendering me "stable" for work.

"I told you it couldn't be her." Laughed Funghoul in the corner booth, he was sitting across from the television with his feet propped up on the table.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jetstar complained. He let out a large sigh as he reached into the pocket of his blue jeans, searching for the money he owed to Ghoul. I could sense the two of them watching me, Ghoul with a nervous look on his face while Jet Star scanned my features thoroughly until he set his money out on the table. But before he let go of it paused,

"Hate to break it to you Ghoul, but I think you owe me this time." He looked at me with a smile then pulled the money back towards him.

"You mean to tell me that you honestly think its the same person?" Ghoul pouted. He pointed in my direction, his hand raised to eye level, " Look at her eyes, there is no way" He began to reach over the table for the money in Jet Stars hand.

"Actually..." I sighed, pulling the syringe out of my back pocket, "He's right." The men looked horrified as I pressed the needle to the un-bruised side of my neck, pricking the skin and injecting the substance into my bloodstream.

"What the fuck Kid?" Party quickly stood up reaching for the syringe.

Closing my eyes I took a deep breath and smiled, feeling the rush of heat under my skin as it crept towards the right side of my head. I opened my eyes slowly and reached for Party's hand, which had fallen onto my shoulder. His eyes locked with mine as the icy blue haze disappeared, becoming a replica of the light brown eye to the left of it.

"See?" I smirked, leading Party's hand down my arm and back to his side. I put the syringe on the table and lifted my hair back, mimicking the woman on the tv "Just like in the photo." I smiled, letting my hair fall back behind my shoulders.

Party shook his head and sat back in the booth next to Ghoul. By the look on his face, he was less than pleased with my performance. It was clear to me that the killjoy had already formed his opinion of me, but the young girl who sat across from him looked at me in awe rather than in fear or disgust. She was young, maybe only 8 or 9 and had beautiful brown curls that framed her face. Her eyes were a captivating green and shown with a youthful light when she looked at either of the four Killjoys.

"Okay…" Ghoul started, breaking the awkward silence as he reached into his pockets, "That was freaky", He slid the money over to Jet Star, then retrieved a cigarette from his vest pocket. He didn't light it, just slid it between his lips, holding the lighter in his hands

"Tell me about it," I laughed, sliding into the booth next to Party Poison. "But after 26 years, you get used to it." I ran one hand through my hair and leaned back into the booth looking at the faces across from me.

Kobra sat to the right of the young girl, and next to him was Jet Star. I couldn't help but look at him more closely. I had a strange feeling as if I knew him from somewhere, it was the same feeling I had about that Drac.

I searched my memory for any sign of this man. His curly, brown hair and large, slender lips should have been memorable enough, but I just couldn't place him. It wasn't until the breaking news flashed on the television that I broke my concentration. We all grew eerily silent as pictures of the night club appeared followed by the robotic voice of the newswoman.

" Many have been called into question after the events that took place at a known killjoy hot spot last night. We are told that the shootout started shortly after midnight when two officials questioned a woman thought to be Xpt 0829 (pictured to the right). It has been reported that the woman was the first to strike out against the officials…"

"Bullshit." Kobra scoffed, shaking his head. " Turn that crap off Ghoul, it's nothing but lies anyway."

Ghoul reached from the remote that sat in front of him, but as he began to lift it, a man's voice came over the TV which made me lunge over Party and hold Ghoul's hand in place.

"Don't touch it!" I exclaimed, pouncing on his hand. I locked onto the screen, eyes darting from left to right. My mouth was dry and I could feel my heart beginning to break apart.

The men watched my reactions closely, all of them, except for Jet Star, who was as equally as interested in the news as I was. We both stared, eyes wide and mouths slightly gaped at what looked to be like a crime scene. But I recognized the scene, I knew the street and I knew that building. It was my apartment building and the man pictured in the corner was my father.

"This just in, Dr. Victor Lucius Knox was taken to the Capital's hospital this morning after he was found with a single gunshot wound to the left temple. Sources say he is in critical condition after what looks like a staged suicide. Doctors say that they are hopeful for recovery. More details are still coming in as we speak. As of right now the suspect, Xpt 0829 is still at large. "It is imperative that we find her before she attempts to kill again," says Director Korse. The investigation is still ongoing..."

I slumped back into the booth next to Party, accidentally moving slightly closer to him. I ran my hands through my hair, gripping the roots tightly as I fought back the pain. Ghoul cut off the Tv and once again, we sat in silence, all of us frustrated with the lies that were being pursued. The broadcast played over and over again in my head and I was struggling to keep up with it. I knew it was all a cover-up, nothing like this could ever happen, should ever happen.

"Those sons of bitches…" Mumbled JetStar, holding his head in his hands.

I took a sharp breath and moved my hands to my sides, partially resting my left hand on Party's thigh. He gave me a small glance, then looked down at the placement of my hand. He cleared his throat and folded both hands on the table, turning all his attention to JetStar.

"Do you know him?" Party asked in a low voice. All eyes were on Star, including mine and the little girl's.

JetStar pulled his head from his hands and sank back into the seat with an audible sigh. "Yes." he paused, " He was someone I looked up to, and he helped me out when I needed it." He laughed, as though recalling a fond memory. "He even let me sit in a few med classes to keep me out of trouble." Jet's eyes began to gloss over, but the would-be tears were quickly wiped away as if to avoid showing weakness.

"So that's where I've seen you before," I said confidently, trying not to choke on my emotions. I didn't know if Jet Star remembered me, and I didn't know how much my father had shared with him, so I opted to keep our relatedness a secret. "I was his assistant in most of those classes." I gestured.

"His assistant," Star said with a sigh, I could tell he was holding something back but he refused to pursue. Instead, the killjoy changed the topic of conversation to something that we were all thinking. " So what does Battery City want with an assistant?"

All eyes shifted back at me, asking the same question with heavy stares. "They think I did this, somehow." I breathed, fingering the beads around my neck. I chuckled, remembering what Alexey had said "some misunderstanding."

My hand slid off Party's thigh as I rose to my feet. Kobra and the young girl quickly following. I stumbled out of the booth, losing my balance as the blood rushed back into my aching legs. I crouched down next to my black duffle bag and massaged my hands over my thighs to help circulate the blood, the light fabric of the stockings creating uncomfortable friction on my skin.

I felt a slight breeze past behind me. Party had slid out of the booth and taken up his post next to the young girl. He patted Kobra on his shoulder, an apologetic type of gesture after the fight they had been in. Taking hold of the girl's hand Party walked off behind the dining counter. He lifted the little girl so she could sit on the old countertop and began rummaging around the area, searching for something.

Kobra extended his hand out towards me, offering some assistance off the floor. I graciously accepted with one hand and pulled my bag off the ground with the other, its weight attempting to throw me off balance.

"Let me take that," Kobra said softly, as he reached out for the bag. I hesitated to give it to him, knowing that there were some potentially dangerous contents inside it.

"Just be careful, I don't want this place going up in flames." I handed off the bag, eyeing Kobra carefully. He looked worried, and so I offered a small half-smile to ease his mind. We began to turn away from the group when I heard an innocent question that cut through me like a knife.

"Did you do it?" Asked Ghoul in a small voice, before lighting the cigarette between his lips. He scooted closer to the end of the booth, filling the space that Party once occupied and leaned forward in anticipation.

I looked up at Kobra, his eyes asking the same question. Peering over his shoulder, I saw Party attempting to seem uninterested in the conversation but his intrigued expression couldn't lie. I turned around and found JetStar leaning in, eagerly waiting for my reply.

I shook my head and dropped Kobras hand. Leaning over the table, I met Ghouls wide eyes. I gently took the cigarette from his lips and placed it between my own, taking in a deep drag before returning it between the killjoy's parted lips. I didn't know how badly I needed a smoke until I felt it swirl over my tongue, it almost felt euphoric.

"No," I said calmly, letting the smoke pour from my mouth.

I stepped back from the booth and looked over at Kobra. The killjoy's eyes grew dark, unamused by my flirtatious acts. It was true that I had overstepped my bounds and if Shadow ever found out, she would have wanted to kick my ass for flirting with her man. But in all actuality, I didn't feel like this was an offense and I didn't think Ghoul did either.

Kobra placed his arm around my waist and began to escort me towards the back of the diner. He held me close, ushering me wherever he wanted me to go. He wasn't forceful, but he wasn't exactly gentle either.

"You've got balls Kid" Kobra mumbled as he pulled me in a back room.

I stepped into the brightly lit room and looked around at what looked to be like a makeshift bedroom. There were two windows on the far side of the room that sat in front of an old metal desk, which faced away from them. A set of bunk beds stood next to the door of the room. The bottom bed had photos and papers scattered over an old, pale green blanket.

The door shut with a hard "thud" attracting my attention. Kobra stepped forward and dropped my bag on the floor.

"Be careful," I barked, lunging towards the ground.

"You mind telling me what that was all about? He hissed, leaning against the closed door. He crossed his arms, looking down and waiting for my reply.

I looked him up and down. His toned arms and muscular shoulders were only enhanced by the cut off tank top he wore. He was missing his iconic red jacket. I assumed he left it in the booth with the others, or out by the cars. But even without that signature look, Kobra still looked heavenly to me and my heart began to race as I tried to answer his question.

"Look…" I started, trying to plan out what I was going to say, "There is a lot about me that is hard to explain and for some reason, the city wants too…" Kobra cut me off.

"The fuck with all that!" he slammed his hands against the door, making me jump. He pushed himself off the door and walked towards the other end of the room, running his hands through his slicked-back hair.

I looked at him, confused. We only knew each other for a night, a drink and drug-infused night for that matter. Nothing that happened between us meant anything to me, so why would it to him? He was notorious for late-night hookups and from what I heard, he didn't pay much mind to the women after it was done. So the question became, 'Why was he being so possessive over me?' Perhaps, it was because we hadn't slept together that night.

"Kobra," I breathed, "are you jealous?" When he didn't answer I just shook my head, already knowing the answer. "last night we both had a lot to drink and we weren't thinking clearly. If there was something I said to make you think..." I was muted by the sound of the door as it opened. I turned around to see Ghoul peering cautiously inside.

"You guys okay?" he asked, "We heard a bang and.." But Kobra cut him off without warning.

"Everythings fine." he growled, "Just get out". He kept his back facing us as he crossed his arms.

Ghoul looked at me with a shocked expression on his face. I shook my head, not knowing what to say. Ghoul was silent, but he pointed at Kobra, mouthing the words "is he?", then he pointed at me, mouthing, "about us?" as he pointed at himself. The poor guy looked so confused and all I could offer was a shrug to say "I guess".

"Okay…" Ghoul whispered as he slowly closed the door.

I was relieved to know that Ghoul and I were at least on the same page. He seemed easier to get along with, not jumping to conclusions and taking everything as it came. Out of the four men, Ghoul was the only one who showed any true sympathy for what happened to me, and he was the only one I didn't feel threatened by.

Kobra on the other hand, I felt had alternative motives for showing me kindness. While his intentions might have been innocent earlier, I seem to have sparked something to change his train of thought. I was never particularly good at reading people, but when it came to men like Kobra, I seemed to have an edge. Most men were the same, only after one thing, and while I didn't know for sure if that was what Kobra wanted, I knew that he would at some point get his way.

The Killjoy uncrossed his arms and turned around with an audible sigh. His body remained tense and there was something in his eyes that I had seen before in other men.

"You're right," he said gruffly a he turned to face me, "we did have a lot to drink, last night."

Kobra came closer, his tall frame making me feel small in both figuratively and literally. My heart beat faster, just as it did at the club. But there was no music here, no drugs or drinks to blame it on, and I finally had to admit to myself that I wanted him. But what I wanted from him I could get from anyone. What I wanted was to fulfill a physical desire, and nothing more.

I took a breath that sounded more like a sigh and pressed my hand against Kobra's chest, stopping him from coming closer.

"You didn't answer my question," I said in a stern voice, ignoring the heat that began to flush into my cheeks. "Are..you..jealouse?"

Kobra covered my hand with one of his and used the other to pull me closer, placing it at the small of my back. Goosebumps scattered across my body as he leaned in closer.

"I wouldn't call it jealousy." He whispered, his warm breath just close enough to my lips to make them quiver in anticipation.

I was torn between what I knew was right and what my body craved. Kobra wasn't just acting out in fit of jealousy, it was about dominance. He had to have before anyone else, and if I let him do what he wanted, he could add another name to his list.

Kobra brushed the stray hair from my face, neatly tucking it behind my ear. I smiled, looking up at him. He rubbed his thumb gently over the bruises around my eye and noes, slowly moving down my neck and with tender hands traced over the injuries. He leaned closer, pressing his dry lips over the curve of my neck.

"Kobra," I gasped.

But the killjoy didn't stop. His hand tightened around me until we were pressed against one another. My body loosened, desperately wanting to give in as Kobra moved his hand under my shirt, stopping at the straps that fastened my black-lace bra. The feeling of his hands on my bare skin sent chills over my body, something I knew he could feel. He pulled away, still holding his hand over mine at the center of his chest. He looked me up and down, biting his lower lip.

I knew then exactly what his intentions were, and while there was a part of me that begged for his touch to explore more than just my skin, there was another part of me that knew not to let that happen.

Before Kobra had the chance to continue, I removed my hand from under his, placing it over his heart. I could feel the rhythmic dance of his heartbeat under my palm, it was beating just as fast as mine, if not faster than mine.

"If it's not jealousy," I cooed, tapping the yellow fabric of his shirt, "You have no reason to be doing what you're doing."

I gave him a devious smile and began to pull away from him, but he refused to let me go. He rested his hand on the side of my face and let out a frustrated sigh. His hazel eyes met mine as he leaned in, the hand on my back pushing me into his embrace. He moved his lips closer to my ear, nearly caressing it with his tongue as he spoke.

"I should have done this last night," he groaned, moving his hand off my face.

He moved underneath my shirt intending to feel more than he did at the club that night. I melted underneath his touch, soft breaths escaped my lips, only encouraging Kobra to continue. He kissed the side of my neck as he groped my breasts, moving underneath my bra with ease. His hunger was driven by the sounds of pleasure that escaped us.

Despite everything, I did enjoy giving in to him. But that little voice in the back of my mind grew louder each time Kobra moved his hands farther down my body. He was so close to being between my thighs that it hurt. I couldn't take it anymore, the voice in my head screamed at me to stop but I had to get another taste of that man.

I wrapped my hands around Kobra's neck, lifting myself and forcing his hand to move away from my thighs back to my waist. I ran my nails through his hair as I stole a long kiss from him. My tongue fought to find him, but I wouldn't let it. I didn't want to go any further, I didn't want to make more mistakes. For once, I listened to the voice of reason. My lips fought to continue, even though I desperately tried to stop. I tightened my grip around Kobra's neck, not wanting to let go, but it was the low moan that breathed out of him that forced us to end our kiss

He bore an enticing smile as he looked at me, our eyes meeting for the first time without distraction. I scanned his face, fighting the urge to kiss him again. I leaned forward, resting my chin on his shoulder, just barely pressing his neck with my lips.

"Don't let us do something we will both regret," I said softly.

Hours Later

"Jesus kid, when I said call me back I didn't think it would take five fucking hours!" Alexie snapped. I knew he would be worried, and after the incident with Kobra, I knew he had a right to be.

"Sorry Lex, I got a little tied up. It's been a long day." I shifted my feet, kicking up the dirt around me. I had found a bench on the far side of the diner where the gas pumps stood and felt it was the most private place to make a call.

Alexey sighed into the phone, "So I'm assuming you heard." I could hear the creaking of Alexey's chair as he leaned back into it.

"Yeah, I heard." I propped my elbow on my knee and rested my head in my hand, "Have you heard anything new?" I paused, taking in a breath of air, "How is the Doctor?"

"Nothing new yet, they are going to be releasing statements tonight." He paused, " I'm going to try to visit Knox in the morning, they say that they are..."

"Hopeful for recovery," I said, cutting him off. I brushed my hair behind my ear and eased back into the wooden bench.

"Yeah," Alexey breathed, "How are you doing?" he asked wholeheartedly.

I laughed and peered around the corner to see Kobra leaning against one of the cars. "Remember when I said I didn't sleep with anyone?" I kept my sight on Kobra, who didn't seem to notice I was watching him.

"You didn't." He sounded disappointed, "Just tell me it was the one with red hair and I might be less inclined to be pissed at you." heard a hint of laughter in Alexey's voice and it made me smile. The thought of sleeping with Party Poison crossed my mind, but when I felt my cheeks heat up with blush, I shook it away.

"You always rush to conclusions, Lex." I scanned the area looking for Party, but when I couldn't find him I sank back into the bench. "You would be proud, I turned one of them down." I bit my lower lip, remembering the hunger of Kobra's kisses.

"Damn, which one was this? Did you let him down easy?" Alexy chuckled and began typing on his keyboard.

I peered back around the wall to get another look at Kobra, "Kobra Kid." I said in a proud voice "The one with the nice ass and the red jacket." I laughed.

I could tell Alexey had put the phone down because his laughter was extremely muffled, "hope you didn't hurt his feelings too much!" he softened his voice, a sign he was about to say something serious. "I'm glad you're in good spirits Kid."

I took a deep breath of the evening air and looked off towards the setting sun, "I do what I can Lex, I have a feeling things are about to get a little tougher for me." It was the sad truth, but there was no point denying it.

"As much as I love you Kid, it's not safe for you to be in the city." His voice deepened, "but you know if you need a place to stay, I've got your back." I heard the typing continue in the background.

"Thanks, Lex," I heard something move on the other side of the building, causing me to stand. I began walking towards the sound but stopped when Alexey spoke up.

"Stay safe kid, I'll be in touch" and with that, he hung up the phone.

* * *

**~Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, Stay tuned for more and D****on't forget to follow/favorite and review! **


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